The wife of Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has strongly criticized manager Carlo Ancelotti following the team’s 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League.

Mina Bonino, Valverde’s partner, took to social media to slam Ancelotti’s decision to substitute her husband at halftime, along with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, as Real struggled to get back into the game.

“It’s better that I keep quiet because they would take me to jail,” Bonino initially posted on her X account. She later doubled down, saying: “Brother, Fede plays best as a pivot and in recovery. What are you talking about? When are they going to understand once and for all that Fede is not a winger?”

However, Bonino later claimed her account had been hacked and that she was not the source of those messages.

Ancelotti defended his decision to withdraw Valverde, stating the player was not 100% fit due to back problems and did not seem to be at his best physically.

The defeat by Milan was another frustrating evening for Real, who have now lost two of their four Champions League games this season. They also trail Barcelona by nine points in the La Liga standings after a 4-0 thrashing by their rivals last month.

Ancelotti acknowledged the pressure he is facing, saying: “When the team doesn’t perform at its best, the coach is responsible. But it’s very important that we all take responsibility.”

The Italian manager will be hoping to turn things around when Real Madrid return to action on Saturday against Osasuna in La Liga, before the November international break provides a chance to regroup.